A gathering at the first World Science-Fiction Convention in
1939. Julius Schwartz is the gent with the glasses in the back at left. Ray Bradburyis in the front row at far right. The man at far left in the front row isForrest
J Ackerman.

We all have a need to be understood and maybe
that’s why we seek out the camaraderie of other writers. I meet with a group of writers. We call ourselves the Saturday Morning Coffee and Critique group (SMCC). We have all gotten to know my character, Clare, and her Crows over time as her story unfolds. I am constantly awed and inspired by their feedback.

In 1939 Forest J.
Ackerman invited 19 year old Ray Bradbury to join him and his fellow science
fiction writers at Clifton’s Cafeteria
in downtown Los Angeles. Ackerman
recognized a talented wunderkind in
Bradbury, who would make a great addition to the L.A. Science Fiction Society.

I like to imagine Bradbury, “the kid,” sitting with the other writers around the
cafeteria table; a long formica table, littered with overflowing ashtrays and all-you-can-drink
limade. He's engaged in deep conversation with the likes of Emil Petaja, Fredric Brown, Henry
Kuttner, Leigh Brackett, Jack Williamson and Robert A. Heinlein --Robert
A. Heinlein for God’s sake!--.

Ray Bradbury loved
to write, he loved the creative process, he loved science fiction, and he loved
science fiction writers. I know this because
my middle grade years were shaped by Something Wicked This Way Comes, The
Martian Chronicles,Ferhenheit 451 and The Illustrated Man. I also know this because I heard Bradbury talk at
Santa Barbara City College, in the late seventies.
He was so authentic and enthusiastic. I believe he wanted to pass on the flame just
like Forest J.Ackerman had passed it on to him in Clifton’s Cafeteria.

It makes me feel
good that Bradbury attended a writing group.

I believe it is worth searching for the right group. Many kinds of writing groups are all over the
place. Meet-Up http://www.meetup.com/about offers many local writing groups worth checking out. You can even try starting your own Meet-Up group.
Professional organizations often have resources too. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, http://www.scbwi.org and learned that they could refer me to member writing groups.

I'd like to quote Stephen King from his book, On Writing. One of his biggest
influences was none other than our man, Ray
Bradbury, http://www.raybradbury.com/ . A fellow SMCC member, used the quote from Stephen King on her blogsite
Signs are Everywhere
(http://pikeplace1.blogspot.com/) and that's how I found it. This is how I feel about a good writing group:

"Having
someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don't have to make
speeches. Just believing is usually enough."